Non-patronising childrens films?

pwurple

So, when it's raining and we have children visiting who smash the place up, we put on a film so we can get a cup of tea without someone needing a trip to A&E.

Any suggestions of films parents can sit through without being annoyed?

So far, I have two.
Finding Nemo is ok.
The snowman we really love, snowman clocks it, not dumbed down or softened up for children. but it's not the season anymore.

Here are the ones I don't like:
Bee Movie is ok to a point, and then it gets preachy about the world ending if bees die.
The lorax is all anti deforestation with added anti-corporate stirred in.

It's over the childrens heads, and I don't need the lecture ta very much.

I would like some non do-gooder film suggestions please!
For cynical yokes like me.

Little My

The Studio Ghibli films are amazing children's films in my opinion.

Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro and Ponyo are amazing, magical films avoiding completely the disneyfication element. Can take a bit of hunting to find English versions but well worth it.

My nieces watched My Neighbour Totoro when they were 5 and 7 and loved it. They still ask for it every time they come over.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Studio_Ghibli

_ariadne

Try spirited away or howls moving castle. Both great kids films that adults will love too

Kaylee

Those Studio Ghibli sound great, must try them out... mainstream ones we tried recently were:

Puss in Boots
How to train your dragon
Kung Fu Panda


...they seemed to go down well... and not too cheesy for the adults

movingsucks

^ that reminds me I was gonna start a thread somewhere about the darkest moments in kids movies and I have to say I was a bit surprised by Puss in Boots and the scene where

Humpty Dumpty chooses to die :O

Bannasidhe

Kaylee wrote: »

Those Studio Ghibli sound great, must try them out... mainstream ones we tried recently were:

Puss in Boots
How to train your dragon
Kung Fu Panda


...they seemed to go down well... and not too cheesy for the adults

add to that The Incredibles and Up - tried and tested for two years by a 6 year old and a 3 year old. They still love them.
Also if they are familiar with the books (and even if they arn't) The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child.

January

I dunno about preachy... my girls love Megamind and Gnomeo and Juliet...

Neyite

Land before time

The princess bride

CookieMonster.x

I'm 17 and I love Monsters Inc., Up and Tangled

Neyite

I love Tangled and Monsters Inc.

Havent seen Up yet.

Marsden

Ratatouille is watchable. I've had to sit through it a few times.

Cienciano

Anything by Pixar. Except cars 2.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pixar_films

Marsden

Cienciano wrote: »

Anything by Pixar. Except cars 2.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pixar_films

Or cars 1:D

movingsucks

I love Cars 1 :O
Hate Monsters Inc though... Style over substance IMO. I'm aware I'm in the minority here though!

Stay away from Happy Feet also.

dahamsta

+1 for Princess Bride. I can't wait until my kids are older so I can watch that and Labyrinth with them.

AnonoBoy

The Toy Story trilogy.

Orion

Are you not reading too much in to this? I don't consider them 'patronising' - they're aimed at kids. And there's no better time to get a good message across regarding the environment or the damage (environmental, social and fiscal) multinationals do than while they're young.

But if you don't want messages like that then, ironically, you should go for some of the old Disney movies. Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, etc. Still classics.

Can't remember how old your kids are but there are other ones like Lemony Snickett, Spiderwick, Labyrinth which are very enjoyable for kids and adults alike. Watched Jumanji and Hook with the kids over Christmas too - they loved them.

pwurple

I suppose I find films with the heavily laid on morals ruin the fun! The visiting children see it maybe partially once, but I ended up seeing the lorax something like five times over christmas with visitors and rain and an injury I picked up. I would love them to be watchable for me too. The lorax is brutal. a giant guilt trip, with some seriously strong examples of how to do passive aggression from the ickle fluffy animals. And I'd say the kids will start to pick up on my eye-rolls, muttering 'Damn Hippies' and snorting eventually. Don't get me wrong, we are enviromentally aware, my 18 month old knew the difference between recycling and other rubbish, we even collect rainwater. I just can't take it on repeat in childrens films.

Jumanji and labyrinth I found scary, but I'm a wimp about films. Spent most of Life of Pi under my coat.

The suggestions have been great guys, this is brilliant! I forgot all the oldies.

January

Tangled definitely loses its since after you've watched it for the 16th time...

kunst nugget

The montage of the couple growing old together at the beginning of Up breaks my heart everytime. Brilliantly done. And the rest of the film is great as well. Love the music throughout.

kunst nugget

Also, I've seen the Spongebob movie an unknown amount of times at this stage and I still enjoy it. Gives the adults something to laugh about without ever being inappropriate while gently taking the pee out of those kids movies with a message.

bullvine

The Iron Giant, probably the best kids film ever made. Or if they are little older try The Monster Squad.

Orion

Haven't seen the Lorax myself so can't comment apart from that my kids love that movie. Forgot about the Princess Bride - must get that for the kids.

Lassie is another one that kids love.

Karpops

Hugo by Martin Scorsese. Beautiful movie! Also UP is pretty moving.

movingsucks

January wrote: »

Tangled definitely loses its since after you've watched it for the 16th time...

I watched on a plane about four times because it was one of two movies I'd watch on the trip. It lost it alright but I can't wait til my baby has more hair so I can sing "flower flower" while brushing it in a sinister voice

Gambas

Kung Fu Panda 1 and 2 is a favourite in our house. Well written and not saccharine sweet. The first Ice Age was pretty good, they've gone downhill since then. And the Ghibli films are great - just that my kids didn't enjoy them as much as I did.

Then there's Star Wars.....

Gambas

movingsucks wrote: »

I love Cars 1 :O
Hate Monsters Inc though... Style over substance IMO. I'm aware I'm in the minority here though!

Stay away from Happy Feet also.

I'm with you all the way on this. Happy Feet is dire.

Monsters Inc was bad too. In fact almost any Pixar I can think of is pretty lame IMO. Up was 'cute', like Toy Story, but hardly worth the effort. Bugs Life and Nemo are the best of a shiney but bad lot.

Kaylee

dahamsta wrote: »

+1 for Princess Bride. I can't wait until my kids are older so I can watch that and Labyrinth with them.

I got these exact two movies for over the Christmas. My kids are prob. a bit young also...

kunst nugget

Gambas wrote: »

Then there's Star Wars.....

As a fella who grew up in the 80s and who spent many a day playing with Star Wars figures and watching the original movies I now find it hard to hand money over to George Lucas to help fund the many innovative ways he has of pooing all over the fond memories I used to have of those films.

Plus, having only daughters helps in that regard.

Kaylee

movingsucks wrote: »

^ that reminds me I was gonna start a thread somewhere about the darkest moments in kids movies and I have to say I was a bit surprised by Puss in Boots and the scene where

Humpty Dumpty chooses to die :O

Yes... that was a bit heavy. Though I thought that the Humpty Dumpty character kind of spoiled the movie a bit, he was a bit too....odd? More cats would have worked :P

Neyite

January wrote: »

Tangled definitely loses its since after you've watched it for the 16th time...

My mother reminds me of this when I hint that she tells the same story over and over. She mentions that she read our books to us hundreds of times and its payback.

January

Neyite wrote: »

My mother reminds me of this when I hint that she tells the same story over and over. She mentions that she read our books to us hundreds of times and its payback.

My dad does the exact same, if I say the girls were up early or anything, he just says "yeah, YOU used to wake up at 5am, payback."

Hannibal Smith

kunst nugget wrote: »

As a fella who grew up in the 80s and who spent many a day playing with Star Wars figures and watching the original movies I now find it hard to hand money over to George Lucas to help fund the many innovative ways he has of pooing all over the fond memories I used to have of those films.

Plus, having only daughters helps in that regard.

George Lucas was only good when he had someone looking over his shoulders ...whenh went solo (no pun intended) the results were disastrous.

hey...follow my username....get a few a-team dvds ! my kid loves them...though maybe slightly brainwashed

Toy Story movies 1 and 3 are great....havent dated at all, the first one I mean.

otherwise you can't beat jungle book...the songs the characters not preachy.

saw the start of tangled which was funny....but turned a bit barbie-like.

Shrek is good?

Kaylee

Don't want to take this off topic - but does anyone know why The Jungle Book DVD is so expensive to buy? This is one I would really like to show to the kids... anybody get it cheaper anywhere (£28.99 Amazon 40th Anniversary edition :eek:). Likewise The Little Mermaid.

Sleepy

Studio Ghibli: My Neighbour Totoro, Ponyo, Howl's Moving Castle, Porco Rosso (though possibly one for the boys?)

Disney: Jungle Book, Dumbo

Pixar: Toy Story Trilogy, Up, Cars, Monsters Inc, The Incredibles

iguana

Up and Bolt are my favourite two in recent years (I like dogs) but what I'm really looking forward to is rewatching all my old childhood favourites when he's old enough to appreciate them. The Princess Bride is right up there, followed by Star Wars (original versions have been sourced, Han shot first god dammit!). Also on the list is Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, ET and Indiana Jones. Hopefully I won't have a world weary kid who is too unimpressed by the 80s effects to enjoy them.

Xdancer

I think I must be the only one who finds Up depressing. The opening montage of his life with his wife is so sad - everything goes wrong for them.

I watched Labyrinth the other day. I used to love it when I was younger.

NextSteps

Xdancer wrote: »

I think I must be the only one who finds Up depressing. The opening montage of his life with his wife is so sad - everything goes wrong for them.

Oh I bawl my eyes out every time. Couldn't possibly watch that with my kid.

shrapnel222

i'd recommend the 3 robbers also. such a great little story.

deeks

Gambas wrote: »

I'm with you all the way on this. Happy Feet is dire.

Monsters Inc was bad too. In fact almost any Pixar I can think of is pretty lame IMO. Up was 'cute', like Toy Story, but hardly worth the effort. Bugs Life and Nemo are the best of a shiney but bad lot.

I would hazard a guess that you're in a minority of one with that opinion - particularly the bold bit. Bar Cars 2 (and perhaps Cars 1) all the Pixar movies have been exceptional. I must point out that even though I have an almost 2 year old now all the Pixar movies I've seen were before my daughter was born so I can't even use her as an excuse

Das Kitty

I haven't seen the Lorax, I'm not a Dr. Seuss fan in general. We had one of the books when I was a kid and I found it disturbing.

James (3) is a big fan of films (or 'movies' as he irritatingly refers to them).

Recent favourites are ET, he feels very sad when it's over, but has decided that ET's Mama and Daddy are in the spaceship waiting for him.

He's also loving The Wizard of Oz. The Wicked Witch he can handle, but the twister at the start requires hugging through.

He's been watching Dumbo for about 9 months now and only on the most recent viewing did he realise how creepy and disturbing the Elephants on Parade scene is. (He also only calls Dumbo by his real name, Jumbo)

Tangled, Enchanted and the Princess and the Frog were also viewed over Christmas and enjoyed by all.

movingsucks

Xdancer wrote: »

I think I must be the only one who finds Up depressing. The opening montage of his life with his wife is so sad - everything goes wrong for them.

I watched Labyrinth the other day. I used to love it when I was younger.

What got me about Up was

he never actually needed to do the whole thing with the house coz his wife had been happy with him all along

dr ro

surprised nobody's mentioned wall e yet. I could and do watch that over and over. It's so clever.

belcampprisoner

what ages are kids

siochain

The original animated version 'lion the witch and the wardrobe’ excellent !

pwurple

So, here is a quick list of the recommendations so far. Thanks all, hope I didn't miss any!

---

Finding Nemo
The Snowman
Spirited Away
My Neighbour Totoro
Ponyo
Howls moving castle
Porco Rosso
Puss in Boots
How to train your dragon
Kung Fu Panda
Up
The Incredibles
The Gruffalo
The Gruddalo's
Megamind
Gnomeo and Juliet
Land Before Time
The Princess Bride
Monsters Inc
Ratatouille
Toy Story trilogy
Jungle Book
Beauty and the Beast
Dumbo
The Little Mermaid
Bolt
Lemony Snickett
Spiderwick
Labyrinth
Jumanji
Hook
Spongebob
The Iron Giant
Lassie
Star Wars
Hugo
Cars 1
Kung Fu Panda
Bugs Life
Shrek
Wall E
A-Team
Ghostbusters
Back to the Future
ET
Tangled
Indiana Jones
The 3 robbers
The Wizard of Oz
Enchanted
The Princess and the Frog
The Lion the witch and the wardrobe (original animated version)

Prettyblack

Yellow Submarine - the 1968 Beatles cartoon. Its great, different, obviously the effects are wild and psychedelic, but its so different from what they've seen before, and the songs are so good, that they should enjoy it. The message isn't preachy either - Music good, Love good, being mean is bad. The voices are funny and there's a lot for adults to enjoy.

Was Madagascar mentioned? That's a funny one. There's no real message, except "being free". :-)

Despicable Me is funny too, with the little yellow "minions".

Sleepy

Oh, it's very Disney but the only real "message" is not to give up in the face of adversity, but my 4 year old adores "Dolphin Tale".

eviltimeban

I remember Antz being good, its quite good for the adults actually, Woody Allen does the main voice, and for the kids, well, they're ants! :-)

lonestargirl

For anyone interested Film 4 are doing a Studio Ghibhli season over Easter.

Queen-Mise

My two really like Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - not sure if they fit your profile though.

Chitty, Chitty and the original Mary Poppins should probably get in as it might open them up to old movies and the love of them.

Rugrats movies was watched to death here also.

The Tinkerbell's are also quite watchable... Went to the latest in the cinema at Xmas and my 11 year old boy came with my daughter and I (!! - and he actually enjoyed it).

Jumanji is very watchable - we always watch it when it appears on Watch or one of those stations. They are some very funny parts in it.

Night at the Museum 1 is funny; not as sure on the second one. There are a few cringe bits but the funny bits by far outweigh them.